13 Tastiest Blueberry Varieties for Home Gardens

Although it’s a bold statement to make, I think blueberries are one of the best fruiting plants you can grow. The delicious berries are an obvious benefit, but they also add structure and beauty to any garden – even one not dedicated to growing edibles.

It can be hard to choose a blueberry variety with so many on the market. While climate is the first factor to consider to ensure your bush can produce plenty of fruits, flavor is also an important concern.

This list includes 13 of the tastiest blueberries you can buy, known for their flavor and size. Grow any of these to avoid disappointment in the kitchen.

Bluecrop

‘Bluecrop’ is one of the most popular blueberry plants around the world, particularly in home gardens. These bushes are tough and reliable, producing masses of berries season after season without much intervention.

This mid-season northern highbush cultivar is tolerant of cold, growing well in USDA Zones as low as 4. It is also tolerant of a missed watering or two, making it ideal for beginners or busy gardeners. Be sure to water often after planting to establish a strong and deep root system that aids drought tolerance.

The berries on this variety are large and firm, perfect for snacking. They have a milder flavor that contributes to their versatility. Pop these berries into just about any dish, and they are bound to shine.  

Jersey

‘Jersey’ is also a favorite among home gardeners for its reliability. These bushes produce more berries than you’ll know what to do with and don’t require much maintenance to grow well, as long as they are planted in the right spot.

‘Jersey’ berries are medium-sized and quite sweet. The higher sugar content, size, and juicy flesh make them ideal candidates for baking. But you can always pick them fresh to eat when you’re strolling around your garden.

If you want this prolific producer to perform as well as possible, it’s best to pair the bush with another mid-season variety. While they don’t need a partner for pollination, you will greatly increase your yield by planting near a compatible partner.

Patriot

‘Patriot’ is another variety known for its large berries—one of the largest early-season producers. Despite the large size of the fruits, the bush itself remains relatively compact, ideal for smaller gardens or growing in containers.

‘Patriot’ is a highbush blueberry with great cold tolerance. You won’t face many problems with pests or diseases interrupting your large harvest. And when you’re not picking the tasty blueberries off the bush to snack on, you can also enjoy the beautiful flowers and eye-catching fall foliage.

Like all blueberries, ‘Patriot’ is fussy about soil pH. Ensure you plant in a spot with acidic soil with a pH of around 4.5 to secure the high yields this variety is known for.

Tophat

One of the most adorable and delicious blueberry bushes on the market, ‘Tophat’ only grows around two feet tall and wide, perfect for small spaces. They look so cute in containers, with a rounded shape and manageable height that won’t overwhelm the balance of the pot. Or, you can plant several in your garden to create a small hedge, separating your space in garden rooms.

Despite their compact size, you’ll still be able to harvest a mountain of delicious blueberries. The berries are sweet and juicy, suitable for baking and preserves. Depending on your climate, they ripen around mid to late summer.

‘Tophat’ is cold-hardy, growing in USDA Zones 3-8. This variety is also tolerant of shadier conditions, although you’ll see fewer blueberries on your bush than if you planted in full sun.

Pink Lemonade

‘Pink Lemonade’ does produce tasty blueberries, but that’s not what it is typically grown for. This unique variety produces tasty berries that are not actually blue but have a dark pink hue when ripe.

The color also adds to their ornamental value, making them great additions to foodscaped gardens. They are compact enough to grow in containers (with regular pruning) for those who don’t have the space to plant directly in the ground.

‘Pink Lemonade’ is a hybrid of rabbiteye and highbush blueberries developed by plant geneticist Mark K. Ehlenfeldt in 1996 and released to the public in 2005. The name describes not only the color but also the unique flavor of the fruits. The subtle citrusy hint makes this variety ideal for baking and desserts, while the high sugar content makes it one of the sweetest for eating fresh, too.

Darrow

If you’re looking for large berries with impressive flavor, you can’t go wrong choosing Darrow. This variety has remained a favorite for the sweet taste of the large berries. The fruits are one of the largest of all the varieties on this list, giving you plenty to work with in the kitchen.

‘Darrow’ is also a quick grower, reaching a mature height of six feet. Adorable pink flowers appear in spring, followed by massive blue berries, and red foliage in fall. The berries ripen later in the season, typically ready to harvest in August, depending on your climate.

While they are self-pollinating, you can maximize your harvest by growing another compatible variety that flowers at the same time. Choose another mid- to late-season blueberry variety, but avoid any rabbiteye varieties.

Duke

Another northern highbush, ‘Duke’ is the answer for the tastiest blueberries in cold regions with plenty of frost. Growing in USDA Zones 4-7 (or as low as 3 with some protection), Duke doesn’t mind some extra chill and produces reliably and prolifically.

‘Duke’ blueberry bushes flower later in the season once most of the frost has subsided. Despite their late flowering time, this variety is also one of the first of the season to ripen, producing early berries that are perfect for impatient gardeners.

The berries’ mild and sweet flavor is great for almost any kitchen application. They are also large and hard to miss in whatever dish you use them in.

Legacy

‘Legacy’ blueberries are great shrubs for beginners. They adapt well to a range of environments and are tough enough to handle a few mistakes, still producing mountains of blueberries to harvest.

This variety is a northern highbush, requiring 800-1000 chill hours to produce its berries. With these chill hours secured, the fruits will be ready for picking around late summer and into early autumn. USDA Zones 5-8 are ideal for these plants.

To add to their low-maintenance nature, these bushes don’t encounter many problems with pests or diseases. However, you may want to put up netting to stop the birds from snacking on your harvest before you get a chance to.

Bluegold

The ‘Bluegold’ blueberry has been around for over 100 years and has remained popular for good reason. This variety has an incredibly high yield and delicious, sweet berries—all you can ask for in a blueberry bush.

‘Bluegold’ is a mid to late-season variety, ending the summer with berries that ripen around the same time. Once picked, they can be frozen, eaten straight off the bush, or used in a range of desserts. You won’t find a better berry to top your sweet cheesecake than ‘Bluegold’.

This variety also has ornamental value in the garden, particularly in the fall. Its leaves take on a yellow hue that perfectly complements the reddish foliage of other blueberry bushes.

Powder Blue

When it comes to resilience and a bountiful harvest, ‘Powder Blue’ is a winner. Named for their distinctly powdery-blue hue, these berries are a burst of flavor fitting for any dish you want to throw them into.

‘Powder Blue’ is a rabbiteye blueberry able to handle slightly warmer climates where other varieties may struggle. This makes it an excellent choice for gardeners in the South who may not have enough chill hours for the hardier blueberries.

‘Powder Blue’ offers a slightly tart yet sweet taste, making them versatile for fresh eating and culinary use. For gardeners looking to maximize their yield, pair ‘Powder Blue’ with another rabbiteye variety, as cross-pollination can significantly increase berry production.

Chandler

‘Chandler’ is renowned for ornamental value, as well as the delicious flavor of the massive berries the bushes produce. This northern highbush thrives in USDA Zones 5-7, appreciating milder climates without too many temperature extremes.

This variety is great for continuous harvesting, producing an abundance of fruit over six weeks from mid-summer into early fall. But the berries aren’t the only benefit. ‘Chandler’s’ white blossoms also add ornamental value to the garden in spring, whether planted in the garden or in containers.

Thanks to their large size and taste, I would use these berries fresh in salads or to top decadent desserts to add a pop of color. Unfortunately, you’ll have to battle birds to use them, as their size and extended harvest make them very attractive to local wildlife.

Earliblue

The name ‘Earliblue’ tells you everything you need to know about why this variety is so beloved: early ripening. For those impatient gardeners wanting to enjoy the freshness of home-grown blueberries before anyone else, this is the variety to choose.

As an early ripener, ‘Earliblue’ is best suited for regions with shorter growing seasons (USDA Zones 4-7). The bushes grow quite quickly, reaching heights of up to six feet ideal for hedging or the backdrop of beds.

Earlibue’s berries are medium in size and rich in taste. Firm flesh helps them last a little longer in storage. That, plus their early ripening time, means you’ll get to enjoy delicious blueberries throughout the summer season.

Windsor

‘Windsor’ blueberries are a southern highbush suitable for warmer climates.

If you live in USDA Zones 7-9 and can’t meet the 800 chill hour requirement for some of the other varieties on this list, Windsor is the best alternative. It requires under 400 chill hours to produce fruit and doesn’t mind the warm weather.

One of the best qualities of ‘Windsor’ blueberries is the size of their berries. They are large and plump, with a pale blue hue that adds to their ornamental value. This is a classic, delicious blueberry with flesh that is firm yet juicy with a sweet flavor. They also hold their shape and flavor well when cooked, making them an ideal choice for pies, muffins, and jams.